Substance supporting table for slicing machines



J. FOLK Jan. 30, 1934.

SUBSTANCE SUPPORTING TABLE FOR SLICING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 28 1950 J. FOLK Jan. 30, 1934.

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SUBSTANCE SUPPORTING TABLE FOR SLICING MACHINES Filed July 28, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 30, 1934 SUBSTANCE SUPPORTING TABLE FOR SLICING MACHINES Joseph Folk, La Porte, Ind., assignor to U. S. Slicing Machine Company, La Porte, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application July 28, 1930. Serial No. 471,135

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to substance supports for supporting material to be sliced by the slicing knife of a slicing machine and. for feeding the substance periodically towards the cutting plane of the knife. The mechanism which I have shown in the drawings illustrates my in vention as applied to a reciprocating table although it will be readily understood that the same mechanism may be applied to a substance support which is stationary, the knife being moved past the table instead of the table being moved past the knife.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved means for feeding the substance towards the cutting plane of the knife, the improved feeding means being relatively simple and easy to operate.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means for imparting uniform frictional retardation to the feed plate which feeds the substance towards the cutting plane of the knife.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a single operating lever for simultaneously or successively operating the feeding mechanism releasing means and the means which causes the retardation of the feed plate.

Another object of this invention relates to an improved form of detachable connection for detachably connecting the feed plate to a member guided by a suitable guide.

Other objects of this invention will appear hereinafter as the description of this invention proceeds, the novel features, combinations and arrangement of parts being set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 represents a section through the base of the slicing machine with a reciprocating table mounted on said base, said table and associated parts being shown partly in section and partly broken away for the purpose of better illustrating the relation of various parts;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detailed view of the feed screw actuating means with the parts shown at a somewhat smaller scale than in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the reciprocating table and associated parts illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken through the reciprocating table substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the feed plate shown in Fig. 2 but with the parts in a slightly different position and with certain of the parts broken away for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially along the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a section taken along the line 'Z'-'? of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to the right hand a portion of Fig. 4 showing a modification of invention; 7 I

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8; g N Fig. is an elevational view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8 and looking from the right Fig. 12 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the mechanism shown at the right in Fig. 4..

In Fig. 1 I have shown the slicing machine as comprising a frame 1 carrying an upstanding bracket 2 which in turn supports the bearing 3 in which the knife shaft 4 of the knife 5 is rotatably mounted. The base 1 rotatably carries the driven shaft 6. A chain 7 is trained over the sprockets 8 and. 9' on the shafts 4 and 6 so that when the shaft 6 is rotated the knife will also be rotated. p f

The base also rotatably supports the stub shaft 10 and gears 11 and 12 operatively connect the shafts 6 and 10 so that the same are driven in timed relation to each other. The crank 13 is secured to the upper end of the shaft 10 and is pivoted at 14 to a link 15, the link 15 being pivoted at 16 to a lug-17 on the frame of the reciprocating table designated generally by the reference numeral 18.

Rollers 19- and '20 rotatably carried by shafts journaled in the bearing members 21 and 22 respectively roll along guides 23 and 24 supported on the vertical bosses 25 and 26 formed integral with the base of the machine. The bearing members 21 extend on opposite sides of the boss 25 to prevent lateral movement and a. plate. 27 secured to one of the bearing members 21 has a portion projecting into the horizontal recess'28 to prevent vertical movement of the slicing machine table, at least that end of the slicing machine tableon which the roller 19 is mounted. It will be understood that there is a second roller such as 19 spaced directly behind the roller shown so as to form with the roller 20 a three-point support for theslicing machine table. A plate 29 secured to one of the bearing members 22 has a lateral extension at the bottom end thereof engaging an over-hanging portion 30 of the boss 26 to prevent vertical movement of the adjacent side of the table.

The gear 11 may be rotated in any suitable manner so as to impart movement to the shafts 10 and 6, but I prefer to rotate the same preferably by a third gear which is in mesh with the gear 11, said third gear being mounted. on a shaft which carries a fiy-wheel and an operating handle therefor. Such a construction is common to slicing machines of this nature, and no illustration of the same is thought to be necessary for the purposes of this invention as it is immaterial as far as this invention is concerned whether it is the knife or the table 18 which reciprocates. When the crank 13 is rotated, this movement is imparted through the arm 15 to the table 18 and causes the table to be reciprocated in the direc tion of the guides 23 and 24.

The feeding mechanism is somewhat similar to that shown in the co-pending application of Hendrik Stukart, filed July 6, 1925. This application has been Patent Number 1,856,855.

A ratchet 41 is secured to the end of the feed screw 38 and a pawl 42 is yielding urged into engagement with the teeth on the ratchet 41. "Ihe plate 37 carries the pawl 42 and as the plate is rocked in one direction the pawl 42 engages the teeth on the ratchet 41 and rotates the feed screw. Movement of the plate 3'7 in the opposite direction however, causes the pawl to ride over the teeth of the feed screw so that no motion is im parted to the feed screw. The latter movement of the plate 37 does'not strictly speaking cause the pawl 42 to ride over the teeth with sufficient ease to, always insure that there is no retrograde movement to the feed screw for if the feed screw were freely mounted in the bearing and there was no force to retard its movement of rotation, the slight frictional contact between the pawl and ratchet would cause retrograde movement of the feed screw and consequently of the feed plate which will be described later. Consequently, an object of this invention is to prevent such retrograde movement to thereby insure equal feeding at all times. A spring 43 attached to a lug on the plate 37 and to the reciprocating table 18 is adapted to retract the pawl after the same has been actuated by means of the arm 33 and connecting link 36.

The manner in which the feed plate is mounted on the feed table is best illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 5, .6, '7, 11 and 12. In Fig. 4 it will be noted that the frame 44 of the table 18 has a lower skeleton ries a bracket 52 which extends inwardly beneath the frame work of the table and has a notch 53 therein in which the guide 47 is arranged. With.

The feed screw is journaled in the bearings 39 and 40.

this arrangement the member 49 is prevented from rotating about the guide rod 48.

Pivoted at 54 to the bracket 52 is an arm 55 carrying the nut segment 56. A spring 57 secured at 58 to the member 49 and surrounding the projection 59 on thearm 55 is adaptednormally to move the arm 55 in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4 to cause the nut segment 56 to engage the threads on the feed screw 38. However, it is sometimes desirable to move the member 49 a substantial distance along the guide rod 48 and in order to accomplish this result I prefer to disengage the nut segment from the feed screw rather than rotate the feed screw a sumcient number of'times for this purpose. In order to release the nut segment, I provide a longitudinal bore in the casting adapted to receive the slidable rod 60, and when this rod is moved downwardly it engages the extension 59 on the arm and moves the nut segment away from the feed screw into the position. shown in Fig. 4.

In order to operate the rod 60 I pivotally mount the cam member 61 between opposed lugs 62, the cam member being pivoted on the pin 63. The

cam member 61 has a cam surface 64 adapted to 1 engage the upper end of the slidable rod 60 when the cam is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4, the rotative movement of the cam being limited by a stop pin 65 secured to the lug 62. V

An operating handle 66 is secured to the cam 61 for operating the same.

With the arrangement just described, it willbe seen that ordinarily the spring 57 will urge the rod 60 upwardly against the cam surface 64 and v if the handle 66 is not being held by the operator the action of the spring through the rod 60 will cause the cam member 61 to rotate'in a counterclockwise directionyand thus permit'the nut segment 56 to engage the feed screw. However, when 3.

it is desired to release the nut segment, it is only necessary to press downwardly on the handle 66 and the rod 60 will thereby operate the arm 55 to move the nut segment 56 out of engagement with the feed screw 38. The handle 66, while in the position shown in Fig. 4, may be used to slide the member 49 along the guide rod 48.

On one side of the framework 44-45 I secure a rigid guide 67 held in place by means of the screw 68. This guide has a projection 69, and a projection '70, both of which extend in a horizontal direction towards the guide rod 48 and provide a guide recess of relatively small dimensions therebetween. The frame work 44 also supports a plate 71 which is arranged substantially in aline.- ment with the projection '70 on the guide 67 This may be secured to the frame work in any suitable manner. The plate '71 is a bearing member upon which the feed plate designated generally by the numeral 72 is adapted to slide. One side of the feed plate '72 is adapted to be secured to the mem ber 49 and the opposite side thereof is adapted to be guided by the fixed guide 67 in a manner which will appear later.

The manner in which the feed plate is secured to the member 49 is best illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 11 and is somewhat of the same nature as illus trated in the co-pending application of W. A. van Berkel, Serial No. 453,142. The member 49 is provided with upstanding lugs 73 at each end of the member 49. These lugs are beveled on one side thereof as best illustrated in Figs. 4 and 7, and are adapted to fit within suitable recesses within the adjacent portion '74 of the feed plate '72 to prevent lateral and longitudinal movement of the feed tapered lugs 73.

plate-'relati-velyto'the member 49: To-thecasting 50" I- secure a plate'75 bymeans-of' the screw 76 and pin- 77; the latter-being for the purposepf preventing rotation of a plate about the screw 76.

; The uppenpart-ofthe platehas a recess '78 therein shank, there being an abrupt shoulder on the screwthreads adjacent the-unthreaded portion 'of theshank as best seen'in Fig. 7. The slot 78 is of a width which is substantially the diameter of "the portion 84, and consequently the screw threaded portion 88 will not pass through the slot nor will the beveled portion 82.

Therefore, when the screw is in the position illustrated in, Fig. 7' with the beveled portion 82 engaging the "seat 79; vertical movementof the feed plate 72is prevented even though the thumb screw 80- should work loose a slight amount. There is a slight clearance between the bottom of the conical recess 79 and the seat 82to permit the feed plate to be drawn firmly down over the When it is desired to separate the plate 72 from the member'49, the thumb screw is rotated to move the same to the right in Fig. 7 until the beveled portion 82 is entirely out of the slot 78. Thereafter the plate 72 maybe raised from the member 49 and plate 75. Therefore there is little possibility that the thumb screw will be lost or misplaced andfor the reason that after the plate 72 is removedthereis no occasion for touching the thumb screw 80 whereas if the threaded portion 83 could pass through the slot 7 78 one might entirely withdraw the screw 80 and mispl'aoe the same as it may seem to the operator that it is necessary to entirely retract the screw 80- to release the plate 72.

It is very desirable tocut uniform slices from the substance being sliced, and-in orderto do this it is necessary that the feed plate 72 be fed along the table 18 in a uniform manner. Unless this is done, the slices will not be uniform. In order to impart uniform movement to the feed plate, it is necessary to prevent any retrograde movement thereof under the influence of the feed screw sothat the feed plate will be moved forward uniform amounts each time the feed screw is actuated. This means comprises a friction means which not only exerts a retarding movement on the feed table but also exerts a frictional force on the feed screw through the reaction which is set up between the mechanisms, which will presently be described, and the feed screw.

I will now describe the mechanism for retarding the movement of the plate as it is fed along the table 18. This mechanism is best illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6-. A friction plate 85 has a projection 86 engaging the plate 72 and a lower horizontally extending guide rib 87 is adapted to. be guided between the projections 69 and 70. Screws 88 screwthreaded into the plate 72 pass through suitable openings in the friction plate 85 and limit the movement of said plate to the left as viewed in Fig. 4 or 5. Springs 89. arranged within recesses 90 in the plate '12'abut against the inner surface of the plate 85. and urge the same towards the left as viewed in Fig. 4 to there- 'by-ca-use the vertical end portion of the rib 87 to frictionally engage the verticalsurface of the guide 67 which is arranged between the projections 69 and 70. The adjustment of-the screws?- 88 is such that the heads thereof do not engage the plate 85 and limit the movement of the rib 87 towards the guide 67 while the plate 72 is in operative position. These screws are for the purpose of guiding the plate for horizontal movement and also for preventing the plate 85 from being separated from the plate 72, when the plate-72 is separated from the table 18. With this arrangement the same amount ofpressure is always exerted-between-the ribs 87 and the guide 67 and for the reason that the spring pressed plate 85 has the entire extent thereof always in engage 'ment with the guide 6'7. With prior devices it has been customary to make the guide 67 spring pressed and the guide 85 rigid with the feed plate.

plate would be considerably longer than the table-91m and at some positions of the feed plate the springs would tend to cant the spring pressed plate and. thereby vary the amount of frictional resistance offered to the movement of the feed plate. The patent to Luschlza etal, No. 1,314,598 is an example of the manner in which prior known devices have been guided by means of a spring plate. With such an arrangement some of the springs are more or less inactive whilethe feeding plate is not opposite those springs, and therefore there is sure to be a varying amount of friction offered to-the movement of the feed plate along the table; With the arrangement shown in the drawings however, it will be seen that therev is always a uniform frictional resistance due to the fact that the springs always bear the same relation to the portion of the fixed guide with which: the plate 85 is in engagement. I

The plate 72 isprovided with a recess St in the lower surface thereof and adjacent the plate 85. Ascrew 92 secured to the plate 7.2 and arranged within the recess 91 acts as a pivot for the rocking arm 93 also arranged within the recess 91. The plate 85- carries an integral hookshaped projection 86 adapted tobe engaged: by one end of the rocking arm 93, the other end of the rocking arm 93 being engaged by an end of the rod 94 which is slidably mounted in bearings on opposite sides of the plate 72. The rod 94 is spring pressed to the right as viewed'in Fig. 4 by means of a spring 95 so that ordinarily the rockingarm 93 is in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The spring 95 also is used to prevent rattling of the rod 94 and tends to raise the handle 66'and this relieves the spring 57 of the weight thereof whichv normally would be transmitted thereto through the rod 60. The full force of the spring therefore can be utilized to hold the nut segment 56 in place. With the rocking arm shown in the position in Fig. 3, the rib 87 is in frictional engagement with the guide 67 and causes uniform retardation of the feed plate as the same is moved along the table 18. However, when the rod is moved to the left as viewed in Figs. 3, 4 or 5, the arm 93 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5 and drawfi the hook-shaped member 66 to the right thereby tilting the plate 85 about the projection 86 into the position illustrated in Fig. 4. Thus the is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4. It is this rotation also which causes the rod 60 to be moved downwardly to release the nut segment 56 and preferably I arrange the cam surfaces 64 and 96 in such a manner that the nut segment is first released and thereafter the friction plate is released through the operating rod 94 and rocking arm 93. Thus when the operator desires to move the feed plate I along the table 18, he grasps the handle 66 and moves the same downwardly first causing the release of the nut segment 58 and next the release of the friction plate85. While still holding the handle down, the operator can exert pressureon the handle longitudinally of the guide 1 48 and thereby cause movement of the feed plate inthe same direction. As soon as the operator releases the handle 66 the feed nut and friction plate 85 again become operative and feeding may be resumed by means of the feed screw 38 and the associated mechanism.

- In Figs. 8, 9 and 10 I have illustrated a modification of my invention in which the same reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in the form of the invention which I have just described. In this modification however, 1 provide a casting 50' carrying a rotatable shaft 97 to the upper end of which is secured an operating handle 98 having the integral cam member 99, the cam member 99 having a recessed portion 100 for the reception of the end of the rod 94 when the rod is in the inoperative position. As the handle 98 is rotated in either a clockwise or a'counter-clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 9, the end of the rod 94 will ride over one of the high portions of the cam surface adjacent the recess 100 and 1 cause the withdrawal of the feed plate 85 in the same manner as in connection with the first arrangement described, it being understood that the left hand'portion of the feed table which is not shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is identical with that illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, etc.

The lower end of'the shaft 97 carries a cam 101 which has the cam surface 102 comprising two downwardly inclined surfaces and two vertical surfaces as best illustrated in Fig. '10. The arm 103 pivoted at 104 to the bracket 52 carries a nut segment 105 secured to the arm by means of the screw 106. The spring 57 18 secured at 58 and 59 to the members 49 and 103 in the same manner as the spring 5'7 shown in Fig. 4. The arm 103 carries a roller 107 at the outer end thereof and this roller engages the cam surface 102. Rotation of the shaft 97 by the handle 98 causes the roller 107 to travel downwardly along one of the inclined cam surfaces of the cam 101 thereby forcing the nut segment 105 out of engagement with the feed screw 38. The vertical portions of the cam surface 102 limit the rotative movement of the shaft 97.

' An abutment or auxiliary handle 108 is secured by means of screws 109 to the top of the table ,72 and may be used with the handle 98 for releasing from the spirit of the invention the nut segment 105 and the friction plate 85.

' When using the abutment 108, the operator places The purpose of releasing the friction while the 35 plate '72 is-slid along the table 18 is to make it easier for one to move the. plate '72 to desired position and since ordinarily the plate 8.5 acts with a considerable frictional force against the guide 87, the plate '72 cannotbemoved along its guides gg easily if the friction plate is in operative position.

As will be noted from. an inspection of Fig.3 the table advances towards the left in order 'to bring the substance to be sliced into engagement with the knife, and asthe knife cuts into the 95 meat there is a tendency to draw the spring plate side of the feed plate. As the cut advancestowards the feed screw the draw on the spring plate side is gradually transferred to the feed screw tion to the friction which is caused by the reactional pressure of the spring pressed plate 85 between the member 49 and the guide rod 48. There'is therefore a frictional pressure on each 195 side of the feed plate which remains uniform at any distance of the feed plate from the cutting plane of the knife. I

Obviously those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make various changes in the embodiments of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings without departing or the scope of the appended claims. 7 Having thus fully described two. embodiments of my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: I

1. A substance support comprising an undertable, a feed plate adapted to slide along said undertable, a movable friction plate carried by said feed plate, a fixed guide on said undertable adapted to engage said frictionplate, a feed screw on said undertable, a' guide rod onsaid undertable, a member guided by said guide rod. and secured to said feed'plate, a spring actuatednut adapted tobe normally moved into engagement with said feed screw and carried by said member,- a rod adapted to slide longitudinally and and a cam member for operating said rods. v

2. In a substance support for slicing machines, the combination with-a main support, of a rigid guide extending along one side of said support, a member guided by said rigid guide and positively held against shifting -movement laterally or away from said guide, a feed plate operatively connected to said'member, a feed screwlocated substantially directly beneath said guide, a movable feed nut forengaging said feed screw and connected to said member, any operating member for releasing said feed nut, a friction device operating independently of said guide for impartinga uniform resistance to the movement of said feed plate along said main support, and a single means i for releasing said feed nut and said friction means. 3. In a substance support for slicing machines, the combination with an under table, of a rigid v guide on said. under table, a member. positively guided by said guide against movement other than along said guide, a feed screw carried by said under table adjacent said guide, a feed nut movably mounted on said member for movement toward and from said feed screw, a feed plate positively and detachably connected to said member and movable therewith, a releasable friction means cooperating with said under table and feed plate for retarding the movement of said feed plate along said under table, and a single releasing member having operative connection with said friction means and said feed nut carried by said first mentioned member for releasing said feed nut from its engagement with said feed screw and for releasing said friction means to permit said feed plate to be moved freely along said guide while positively guided thereby, said friction means being operative at a point remote from the guiding means for said feed table and acting in a direction to create additional friction between said first mentioned member and said guide by urging said feed table against said guide.

4. In a substance support for slicing machines, the combination with an under table, of a rigid guide on said under table, a member positively guided by said guide against movement other than along said guide, a feed screw carried by said under table adjacent said guide, a feed nut movably mounted on said member for movement toward and from said feed screw, a feed plate positively connected to said member and movable therewith, a releasable friction means independent of said guide cooperating with said under table and feed plate for retarding the movement of said feed plate along said under table, and a single releasing member having operative connection with said friction means and said feed nut carried by said first mentioned member for releasing said feed nut from its engagement with said feed'screw, and for releasing said friction means to permit said feed plate to be moved freely along said guide while positively guided thereby, said operative connections including a slidable rod for releasing said friction means, and a slidable rod for releasing said feed nut, both of said rods having direct operative engagement with said releasing member.

5. In a substance support for slicing machines, the combination with an under table, of a rigid guide on said under table, a member positively guided by said guide against movement other than along said guide, a feed screw carried by said under table adjacent said guide, a feed nut movably mounted on said member for movement toward and from said feed screw, a feed plate positively connected to said member and movable therewith, a releasable friction means cooperating with said under table and feed plate for retarding the movement of said feed plate along said under table, and a single releasing member having operative connection with said friction means and said feed nut carried by said first mentioned member for releasing said feed nut from its engagement with said feed screw, and for releasing said friction means to permit said feed plate to be moved freely along said guide while positively guided thereby, said operative connections including a slidable rod for releasing said friction means when said releasing member is actuated, and a cam operated in unison with and controlled by the movement of said releasing member for releasing said feed nut.

6. In a substance support for slicing machines, the combination with an under table, a rigid guide on said under table, a member positively guided by said guide and thus prevented from rotative movement about said guide and lateral shifting movement with respect thereto, a feed nut mov ably supported by said member, a feed screw carried by said under table and adapted to cooperate with said feed nut tomove said member along said guide, yielding means for urging said feed nut into engagement with said feed screw, a feed plate releasably connected to said member, a friction means for retarding the movement of said feed plate along said under table, and means for releasing said feed nut from its engagement with said feed screw and for releasing said friction means to permit the feed'plate to be movable freely along said guide; said releasing'meanscom prising a member having operative connection with said friction means and feed nut and m0vable in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction of feed of said feed plate so that longitudinal movement of said feed plate along said guide is prevented while said friction meansand feed nut are being released. 7 v

7. In a substance support for slicing machines, the combination with an under table, a rigid guide on said under table, a member positively guided by said guide and thus prevented from rotative movement about said guide and lateral shifting movement with respect thereto, a feed nut movably supported by said member, a feed screw carried by said under table and adapted to cooperate with said feed nut to move said member along said guide, yielding means for urge ing said feed nut into engagement with saidfe'ed screw, a feed plate releasably connected tojsaid member, a friction means for retarding the movement of said feed plate along said under table, and means for releasing said 'feed nut from its engagement with said feed screw and for releasing said friction means to permit the feed plateto be movable freely along said guide, saidloperative connections including a pivoted lever for positively releasing said friction means, and a rod for operating said pivoted lever.

8. In a substance support for slicing machines, the combination with an under table, a rigid guide on said'under stable, a memb'erpositively guided by said guide and thus prevented from rotative movement about said guide and lateral shifting movement with respect thereto, a feed nut movably supported by said member, a feed screw carried by said under table and adapted to cooperate with said feed nut tomove said member along said guide, yielding means for urg-I- ing said feed nut into engagement with said feed screw, a feed plate releasably connected to said member, a friction means for retarding the move? ment of said feed plate along said under table, and means for releasing said feed-nut from its engagement with said feed screw and for releasing said friction means to permit the feed plate to be movable freely alongsaid guide,'said releasin'g means comprising a member movable to either side of a neutral position to release said friction means and said feed nut and being movable in a direction substantially parallel to the feeding movement of said feed plate, so that the force of releasing said friction means and said feed nut may be simultaneously utilized to release the feed table and move said feed table along its guide in either direction.

9. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing knife, of a table, means for moving said knife and table relatively to each other, a guide rod on said table extending along the operators its side thereof toward the cutting plane of said knife, a feed screw mounted on said table, a member slidably mounted on said guide rod and closely embracing the same so as to have only longitudinal movement therealong, a nut movably mounted on said member, means for moving said nut into and out of engagement with said feed screw, means for detachably securing said feed plate to said member, a fixed guide on said table on the side thereof away from the operator, a movable spring-pressed guide on said feed plate adapted to engage said fixed guide, a pivoted lever adapted to move said spring-pressed guide away from said fixed guide, a rod for operating said lever from the operators side of said table, and control means for actuating said rod.

10. In a slicing machine, the combination with a main substance support, of a feed plate positively guidedby a fixed guide on said support along afixed path, releasable friction retarding means carried by said feed plate engaging a fixed surface on said support forimparting a uniform frictional retarding effect upon the feed table as it moves along said support and being engaged along its entire length with said fixed surface at substantially all points along the path of travel of said feed plate, and a cooperating part on the feed plate cooperating with said fixed guide for positively guiding said feed plate along said path in cooperation with said fixed guide independently of said releasable friction retarding means, whereby when said releasable friction retarding means is released, the positive guiding of the feed plate is still in effect and movement of said feed plate out of said fixed path is prevented.

11. In a substance support for slicing machines, the combination with a main substance supporting table, of a feed plate slidably mounted on said table, a rigid guiding means on said feed plate andtable forpositively guiding said feed plate along said table in a fixed path and thus positively preventing movement thereof in a direction other than along said guide, and releasable friction means independent of said guiding means for imparting a frictional retarding movementto the feed plate as it moves along said table comprising a rigid member on said table, a movable element on said feed plate, yielding means for normally urging said movable element against said rigid member, cam means, operator controlled, for moving said movable element against the action of said yielding means, and a cooperating part on the feed plate cooperating with said rigid guiding means for positively guiding said feed plate along said path in cooperation with said rigid guiding means independently of said releasable friction retarding means, whereby when said releasable friction retarding means is released, the positive guiding of the feed plate is still in effect and movement of said feed plate out of said fixed path is prevented.

12. A slicing machine substance support comprising a main support, an auxiliary support slidable along said main support, a guide rod rigidly mounted on said first support and extending in the direction of the movement of said second support along said first support, a feed screw parallel with and arranged directly beneath said guide, a rigid bearing member slidable along said guide and detachably connected to said second support, a feed nut on said bearing member, yielding means for urging said feed nut into engagement with said feed screw, a rod slidable in said bearing member having one end thereof in operative engagement with said feed nut, an operating handle carried by said bearing member for moving said rod in a direction to release said nut from its engagement with said feed screw, a rigid guide on said first support, a springpressed guide on said second support for engaging said fixed guide on said first support, said spring-pressed guide being engageable along its entire length with the fixed guide on said first support and during substantially the entire operative movement of said second support along said first support, and means for releasing said springpressed guide when said feed nut is released for permitting free movement of said member and second support longitudinally of said guide rod.

13. A slicing machine substance support comprising a main support, an auxiliary support slidable along said main support, a guide rod rigidly mounted on said first support and extending in the direction of the movement of said second support along said first support, a feed screw parallel with and arranged directly beneath said guide, a rigid bearing member slidable along said guide and detachably connected to said second support, a feed nut on said bearing member, yielding means for urging said feed nut into engagement with said feed screw, a rod slidable in said bearing member having one end thereof in operative engagement with said feed nut, an operating handle carried by said bearing member for moving said rod in a direction to release said nut from its engagement with said feed screw, a'rigid guide on said first support, a spring-pressed guide on said second support for-engaging said fixed guide on said first support, said spring-pressed guide being engageable along its entire length with the fixed guide on said first support and during sub-' JOSEPH FOLK. 

